(Image Source: MSNBC)

BY HARUMENDHAH HELMY

ANCHOR MEGAN MURPHY

At least 20 people were reportedly killed in the latest government crackdown in Syria on Monday --  as observers from the Arab League are scheduled to arrive and monitor violence in the country.

First -- MSNBC has the details on the violent clashes.

“Gunfires ripping through the Syrian city of Homs for the third straight day. It’s part of the vicious crackdown by the Syrian government to silent protesters who want President Bashar al-Assad removed from power. Mass funerals were held on Saturday to mourn fallen protesters. The UN estimates 5,000 have been killed during several months of demonstrations there.”

This -- as the first 50 observers sent by the Arab League are scheduled to arrive in the country. The New York Times explains the team’s mission.

“The observers ... are supposed to monitor promise[s] by the government of President Bashar al-Assad to withdraw its tanks and troops from cities and release political prisoners. … In a statement, the Arab League said that about 50 observers form at least eight Arab countries would conduct ... ‘field visits’ of several Syrian cities on Tuesday[.] The group would include ‘civilian and military’ experts.”

In all, about 150 observers will be sent to Syria. A correspondent for Fox News suggests the timing of the latest clashes is no coincidence -- and that, unfortunately, the monitors’ arrival will not ease the violence.

“It seems like, Greg, that the Syrian government may be trying to kill as many people as they can ahead of those observers coming into town -- we’re talking about just a matter of hours until they are indeed on the ground … The problem is that these Arab League observers don’t really have any weapons on them, and they don’t really have the ability to stop any of the violence... They are just there to observe so the Syrian government can continue doing whatever it wants...”

This doubtful look at the observers’ mission is also shared by the Syrian opposition. Al Jazeera talks to one who says -- there are not enough observers to cover all of the Syrian cities they say they will monitor ...

Ashraf al-Moqdad: “I wish we could even have one ounce of hope. I mean, the Arab observers, they’re not even enough... Imagine -- Homs is half of the size of London. Having 150 observers -- how could they even cover that? Not even traffic officers of 150 could cover half the streets of the city the size of Homs...”

An Arab League officer says the first 50 observers will arrive in Homs on Tuesday.